Wave of women line up for latest instalment
trying to reclaim the title. “I’m sure our great team will have everything ready,” he said. “There is no stopping them.”
Comanche was sitting next to Wild Oats XI when the storm hit but escaped damage and is free to make a ( possibly triumphant) return to the Sydney to Hobart after missing the 2016 edition and the chance to defend its title.
Comanche was formally owned by Jim Clark and wife Kristy Hinze Clark, who created history as the first female owner to achieve the ultimate success in the race two years ago.
The boat is now in the hands of Jim Cooney, who is understood to have paid about $ 14 million for it.
Cooney will skipper the supermaxi south with daughter Julia, 20, and James, 19, in his crew of 20.
“They are used – PETER HARBURG to having me yell out, ‘ Is Julia ok?’, ‘ Is James ok?’. I am a father first. But I don’t need to worry too much, they are both very capable,” he said.
The reigning champ, InfoTrack is well back in betting ($ 8), but will still take some beating after setting the race record of one day, 13 hours, 31 minutes and 20 seconds last year as Perpetual Loyal.
One of Australia’s top professional sailors, Tom Slingsby, is ‘ behind the wheel’ and aims to give the yacht’s new owner, Christian Beck, the perfect start.
“He says his dream has always been to be first out Sydney Heads so that’s what we are going to try and deliver,” said the London Olympic gold medallist, former World Sailor of the Year and twotime America’s Cup campaigner.
It’s unlikely the boats will have the same wind behind them this year however.
“Last year was such an extraordinary set of circumstances that I don’t think they will be able to better Loyal’s time because of the first day which is probably too light,” top yachting meteorologist Roger Badham said.
While the supermaxis chase line honours, the race for the overall title is set to be equally enthralling.
Black Jack navigator Tom Addis, who guided Perpetual Loyal to her race record last year, also believes the mark is safe and the boats half the size of the supermaxis are in the box seat for handicap honours.
“A 100- footer is a nice size to go to Hobart on but if we were after handicap honours we would set the boat up with very different sails,” he said.
“With this forecast I think you’d probably choose to be on a 50- footer.”
The likes of Bob Steel’s Quest ( the former overall winner Balance), Tony Kirby’s Patrice and Matt Allen’s new Ichi Ban are among the early favourites if the current forecast prevails.
“I think the competition will be red- hot in the 45- 55foot range,” Ichi Ban navigator Will Oxley said. “It will come down to boat handling and minimising sail damage.”
Ranging from the hi- tech Ichi Ban to the 87- year- old wooden beauty Dorade from the US, and the tiny timber yacht Maluka, there’s truly something for everyone.